BTO migration blog

Spring and autumn are exciting times for anyone who watches birds. Here on this blog we will make predictions about when to expect migrant arrivals and departures, so that you know when and where to see these well-travelled birds.

Monday, 14 January 2013

Taking flight

During
late October and early November a huge number of Redwings, Fieldfares and Blackbirds
arrived on the east coast of Britain. These quickly moved inland and spread out
across the country. Take a walk in the countryside now and it is clear that
many of these birds have moved on, moving even further south in search of a
suitable wintering area, or more importantly a more reliable source of food,
probably in western France and northern Iberia. The BTO Winter Thrushes survey
is now focusing on birds seen during winter walks. Take part here.

Fieldfare by Jill Pakenham

Another
example of this can be seen in the Waxwing
numbers this winter. In November and early December there were around 5,000
birds here. Currently there are only around 1,500 in the country and there have
been reports of birds seen leaving the Kent coast.

Waxwings by John Harding

Snow and ice brings difficulties for many more
birds as their food becomes hidden or locked under frozen water surfaces. In
these conditions Kingfishers and
herons are known to move to the coast where the saline waters largely remain
ice-free. Lapwings, Skylarks and Wood Pigeons movements at this time can
be spectacular and these too will also leave the country if they have to.
During prolonged periods of snow and ice on the near continent, Britain’s estuaries
come into their own, offering a lifeline for many species of waders and
waterfowl. As temperatures bite we could see an influx of Smew, Goldeneye and Tundra
Bean Geese.